Startup Boost — a pre-accelerator program for startups in Toronto, Los Angeles, London, and New York — has opened applications for its Spring 2018 cohort.
Open to eight pre-seed and seed-stage startups in each city, the six-week program allows startups to work with Startup Boost City Directors offer industry insights alongside hands-on mentorship, guidance, validation, and necessary resources for building traction. No fees are charged and no equity is taken.
The program concludes with a global demonstration day, where the Spring 2018 startups will gain exposure to potential new sales leads, and the opportunity to pitch and connect directly with investors and accelerator directors. The program will also expand to Seattle this year.
“The benefit of Startup Boost is that it brings a startup development model with a proven track record to startups in an under supported stage to prepare them for accelerators, investment, and most importantly revenue globally,” said global lead Blake Caldwell.
StartupBoost launched in August 2017 after Techstars retired its Startup Next program, which provided entrepreneurs with six weeks of mentoring and coaching before applying to accelerators. In Toronto, Startup Boost is headed by TWG’s Tom Walsham and Oksana Salamaszek, and Multiplicity co-founder Chris Kay.
“It takes a city to raise a startup, and the quality of pre-accelerator programs is the best indication of the health of its startup ecosystem,” said Salamaszek. “For its 5th year running, Toronto’s premier pre-accelerator program continues to bring together an incredible network of local and global mentors, industry experts, and community support to help launch first time founders to the next level. The value of the program for founders goes far beyond it’s final demo day.”
Applications are open here until March 22.
